Calendar rack



R. J. HIGGINBoTHAM 2,588,236

CALENDAR RACK Filed Deo. 16. 1949 HNI! Hill! INVENTOR.. R. J. HIGGINBOTIHAM BY Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CALENDAR RACK Robert J. Higginbotham, Charlotte, N. C.

Application December 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,413

This invention relates to textile machinery and more particularly to an improved rack for exerting downward pressure on the calendar rollin cotton picking apparatus.

In cotton picking machinery of the type in which this invention is utilized a web of cotton passes between feed rolls and is received on a calendar roll, which gradually increases in diameter Aas the web is wound thereon and this calendar roll is supported by the cotton thereon which rests on a pair of parallel driving rolls. Obviously, as the diameter of the calendar roll increases the shaft or axle thereof moves upwardly away from the driving rolls and means must be provided to exert a downward pressure on the shaft to maintain a tight contact between the cotton and the driving rolls to facilitate the transfer of power thereto.

Heretofore great difficulty has been experfenced in maintaining the downward pressure producingr means in repair since the web of cot- 'ton is notrnecessarily of uniform thickness and `consequently the calendar roll may assume a somewhat conical shape thus imparting a slant to the shaft and consequently wearing the edges of the rollers provided in the calendar rack which exerts the above mentioned downward force, these rolls soon becoming sufciently worn to require replacement.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a calendar rack in which the shaft engaging rollers are allowed to swivel and provide a full surface contact with the roll shaft regardless of any inclination of the shaft.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a calendar rack of rugged construction which is made up of a plurality of individual units secured together whereby replacement of any single unit may be made without the necessityr of replacing the entire device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a calendar rack incorporating means to accommodate any inclination of the calendar roll shaft and so constructed as to facilitate the ready replacement of parts and also including a shearable pin which will release the roll engaging head in the event upward pressure on the head exceeds a predetermined safevalue.

It isa further object of the invention to provide a calendar rack incorporating means for limiting the pivotal or swivel movement of the roll shaft engaging head to prevent inadvertent rotation of the head out of operable position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specilication taken in conjunction with the accompanyin'g drawings, wherein:

Fig 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a textilemachine Vincorporating the calendar rack of this invention;

6 Claims. (Cl. 19-162) Fig. 2, an elevational view with parts in section for greater clarity and showing the manner of attaching the tooth rack;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary side elevational view of `the device shown in Fig. 2; and,

Fig; 4, a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

With `continued reference to the drawing there is shown in Fig. l a textile machine having a frame I8 in which are journalled feed rolls` II and drive rolls I2. Disposed above the drive rolls I2 is a calendar roll I3 having a central` axle-or shaft I4, calendar roll I3 receiving cotton or other material I5 in the form of a web.

The material I5 wound on the calendar .roll I3 is maintained in tight driving engagement with the-'surface of driving rolls I2 by a calendar rack I3 which is slidably `mounted for vertical movement in the frame Ill, the `calendar rack |16 being provided with rolls I1 engaging the shaft I4 to exert :a downward force thereon. The calendar rack I3 is also provided with a toothed rack I8 which engages a pinion I9 xed to a shaft 20 provided with a brake drum 2| and an operating hand wheel 22. A brake shoe '23 is pivotally mounted at 24 on 'the frame I0, the brake shoe 23 being normally held in engagement with the brake drum 2| by a weight or other equivalent means not shown, the brake shoe 23 being moved out of engagement with the brake drum 2| by downward pressure exerted by the foot ofthe operator on pedal portion 25 of the brake shoe.

The calendar rack I6 comprises a supporting bar 26 to which is secured by screw threaded fastening means or the like 21 the toothed rack I8. The supporting bar 26 and toothed rack I8 are secured to a bifurcated head 28 by screw threaded fastening means or the like 29. The ears or furcations 30 of the head 28 project upwardly and pivotally mounted therebetween is a member 3| held in position by pivot pin 32 passing through the member 3| and the furcations 3|). Y

Member 3| is provided with a bore 33 which serves to rotatably receive a reduced extension 34 projecting from a head block 35. Also received on the reduced extension 34 and serving to space headblock 35 from member 3| isa collar 38, the

opposite end of extension 34 beingA provided with a pin 3l extending therethrough, the Yopposite ends 38 of the pin being bent kdownwardly as shown in Fig. 3 and serving to contact a lug l39 provided onthe member 3| 'to limit rotation or swivelling movement of the extension. and head block 35.

The head block 35 is provided in its lower surfacefwith a recess 4I! -in which are disposed the pressure rolls I'I each of these rolls being provided with a sealed anti-friction bearing 4| which mount the rolls on parallel pins or axles 42 each 3 secured in place in the head block 35 by a set screw or other equivalent means 43.

The head block 35 and member 3I normally occupy the position shown in the drawing but in the event the upward movement exerted by the calendar roll shaft I4 on the roll I1 exceeds a predetermined safe value, means for relieving this pressure is provided in the form of a shear pin 44 extending through the furcations 30 and the member 3l, the material of the pin 44 being suiciently soft to permit shearing thereof under the action of such excessive upward force thereby permitting pivotal movement of the member 3| and head block 35 about the pin 32 to relieve the pressure and prevent breakage of parts.

In operation, as the material I5 builds up on the calendar roll I3, due to variations in the thickness of the material, the roll may assume a somewhat conical shape resulting in an inclination of roll shaft I4. In the event this takes place head block 35 and yreduced extension 34 will swivel or rotate in the bore 33 thus permitting the rolls I'I to maintain a full face contact with the roll shaft I4. This swivelling of the head block 35 prevents uneven wear on the rollers Il, particularly on the edges thereof since a full face contact is maintained at all times which results in minimum wear on the rollers I'I. Likewise, all of the parts which do go to make up the calendar rack of this invention are secured together in such a manner that they may be easily and conveniently separated in order to replace individual broken or worn parts thus precluding the necessity of replacing the entire device or a large portion thereof.

The device may be conveniently manufactured with a minimum number of machining operations and in view of the particular structure employed extreme accuracy in these machining operations is not required and consequently the use of a highly skilled labor force in the manufacture thereof is not necessary, this fact materially Ycontributing to the relatively low cost of manuvfacture.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore this invention is not limited Vto that shown in the drawings nor to that described in the specification but only as is indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A calendar rack comprising an elongated vsupporting bar, a rack detachably secured to said bar, a bifurcated head detachably secured T55 to said bar and said rack, a member pivotally mounted between the furcations of said head, a shear pin extending through said iurcations Aand said member to normally prevent pivotal movement of said member, a head block, a reduced 'extension on said head block extending through an aperture in said member for rotatably mounting said head block, a collar on said fextension serving to space said head block from -ber and a pin extending through said extension for engagement with said lug to limit pivotal movement of said head block in either direction. 2. A calendar rack comprising an elongated supporting bar-,- a rack detachably secured to said bar, a bifurcated head detachably secured to said bar and said rack, a member pivotally mounted between the furcations of said head, means for normally preventing pivotal movement of said member with relation to said head, a head block, a reduced extension on said head block extending through an aperture in said member for rotatably mounting said block, a co1- lar on said extension serving to space said head block from said member, a recess in said head block, spaced parallel rollers disposed in said recess, anti-friction bearings in said rollers r0- tatably mounting the same in said head block, a lug on said member and a pin extending through said extension for engagement with said lug to limit pivotal movement of said head block in either direction.

3. A calendar rack comp-rising an elongated supporting bar, a rack detachably secured to said bar, a head detachably secured to said bar and said rack, a member pivotally mounted on said head for movement about a substantially horizontal axis, means to normally prevent pivotal movement of said member relative to said head, a head block rotatably mounted 'on said member at substantially right angles to the pivotal axis thereof, a recess in said head block, spaced parallel rollers disposed in said recess, anti-friction bearings in said rollers rotatably mounting the same in said head block, a lug on said member and means on said head block engageable with said lug to limit pivotal movement of said head block in either direction.

l. A calendar rack comprising an elongated supporting bar including a rack, a head detachably secured to said bar and said rack, a member pivotally mounted on said head for movement about a substantially horizontal axis, means to normally prevent movement of said member relative to said head, a head block rotatably mounted on said member at substantially right angles to the pivotal axis thereof, a recess in said head block, spaced parallel rollers disposed in said recess and rotatably mounted in said head block, a lug on said member and means on said head block engageable with said lug to limit pivotaly movement of said head block in either direction.

5. A calendar rack comprising an elongated sup-porting bar including a rack, a head detachably secured to said bar, a member secured to said head, a head block pivotally mounted on said member for movement about a substantially horizontal axis, spaced parallel rollers rotatably mounted in said head block and means on said member and said head block to limit pivotal movement of said head block in either direction.

6. A calendar rack comprising an elongated supporting bar including a rack, a head detachably secured to said bar, a member secured to said head, a head block pivotally mounted on said member for movement about a substantially horizontal axis and spaced parallel rollers rotatably mounted in said head block.

ROBERT `J. HIGGINBOTHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of record in the file of this patent: i

UNITED STATES PATENTS Higginbotham et al. Oct. 22, `1935 

